WINNER: Cody Rhodes
- Miz comes in to beat on Rey some more, only to get the Cross Rhodes himself! Cody picks up and eyes the belt he brought back into the WWE. A nice bit of continuity, and methinks a Triple Threat could be in the works for this Sunday...
- We see Cena backstage as he's preparing for his interview with "The Hitman"
- Commercial Break
- We're back as Cole updates that King is in the isolated ER ward of the local hospital. He is more responsive to lights, and is awaiting a CAT Scan to determine the severity of his condition. I'm with Cole, fight through this, Jerry...
Another commercial, and we're back fully as Bret comes out to introduce Cena for his interview. Cena gets the usual backlash from the Canadian audience as he comes down to the ring. He thanks Bret for the chance to be interviewed. Bret makes the comparison between Cena-Punk and himself and HBK, and how a normally friendly rivalry turned into something so much more personal.
Cena thanks him for even making the comparison and is aware that he and Punk need more accolades to measure up to the legacy of HBK and Hart. Cena feels that HBK, even as a jerk, was upfront about it, while Punk hasn't, and HBK earned his respect because, right or wrong, he supported what he stood for.
Bret starts to ask what Cena plans on doing to shut the "phony" Punk up, who comes out and objects. Cena verifies it, calls Punk a phony, and dares Punk to make a move on him and Hart. Punk turns the idea of being a phony back on Cena, and declares that he's only out to defend his good word.
He agrees that Hart and Cena have a lot in common, but that it's not necessarily a compliment, as both have been surpassed by someone superior, Cena by Punk, and Hart, by Michaels. Punk, however, says he's better than Michaels, Austin, and the Rock. He is the best WRESTLER, best TALKER, best BRAWLER, and best TECHNICIAN.
Cena's says all that proves is Punk's a lying scumbag. He hits Punk with a bit of harsh truth, the fact that he's held the title for 300 days in obscurity, watching main event by main event pass by, and the fact that for all the years Punk's talked, his best moment was when his mic was shut off, and when he won the belt in Chicago. It was never about ice cream bars or being the "Voice of the Voiceless", it was about making CM Punk a star.
He continues on, saying that Punk's become all about the WWE Title, and that he hasn't discovered who he is. Cena starts to speak up in French before Punk interrupts, but Cena immediately slaps the mic out of his hands, calling him an ignorant son of a bitch. What he had been trying to say was that even though Punk says he's going to win NOC, Cena's just going to kick his ass. Stare down between the two men. Punk goes for a shot at Bret, who blocks and gives the champ a right hand, as Punk scrambles out of the ring and up the ramp as Bret and Cena stand tall.
We get a final update on Lawler, who's heart and overall condition has stabilized as he's being prepared for a CAT Scan. Thoughts and prayers go out to Jerry Lawler...
- End Show
Credit: Ken Hill